Suspect identified as rideshare driver in custody after Beverly Hills hostage standoff

The sheriff’s department said the suspect is wanted for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, stemming from an incident early Sunday morning.

An armed man and rideshare driver who authorities say is wanted for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and other charges was taken into custody after he barricaded himself and a hostage inside a truck with a passenger, prompting a nine-hour hostage standoff in Beverly Hills on Sunday.

The suspect was identified as Osvaldo Del Rio, a rideshare driver, and is currently being held on a $1,000,000 bail for attempted murder.

The hostage, a rideshare passenger, was safely rescued just before 11 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities said Del Rio and the hostage did not know each other.

The suspect was taken into custody at around midnight and transported to a hospital for treatment.

In a statement, Uber said Del Rio was removed from the rideshare service platform.

“This must have been a terrifying experience,” Uber said in its statement. “We’re grateful to law enforcement for their response and relieved that no one was seriously injured. We have removed the driver from the platform, and are standing ready to support law enforcement with their investigation.”

The chain of events that led to the standoff began to unfold Sunday when the LASD said deputies conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation at West 104th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard at around 3 a.m. When they tried to take the driver out of the vehicle, authorities say he struck a deputy and drove off.

The deputy was treated at the hospital for his injuries and has since been released, the sheriff’s department said.

At around 1:30 p.m., the Beverly Hills Police Department said it received an Automated License Plate Recognition alert about a felony vehicle and located the gray Ford pick-up truck near San Vicente and Beverly boulevards.

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over, forcing a short pursuit that ended when the truck collided with an SUV near Burton Way and Robertson Boulevard, according to police.

At around 10:30 p.m., officers were still trying to negotiate with the driver to come out of the truck.

The driver put up a sunshade to block the front windshield, and video from the scene shows officers in tactical gear, as well as several police cars and armored vehicles, surrounding the truck.

Investigators also said Del Rio was wanted for additional charges in the city of Beverly Hills.

Several streets were closed due to the activity, and police were urging drivers and residents to avoid the area.

The sheriff’s department’s Special Enforcement Bureau is handling the tactical command.